Power Generation System and Method

ABSTRACT

A power generation system comprises a first energy conversion device configured to convert a first renewable energy resource into electricity, an electrolysis device configured to use electricity from the first energy conversion device to electrolyze water into hydrogen and oxygen, a hydrogen gas storage tank configured to store hydrogen from the electrolysis device, a fuel cell configured to convert chemical energy in the hydrogen from the hydrogen gas storage tank into electricity, a boiler configured to use electricity from the fuel cell to boil water into steam, and a steam powered turbine generator configured to convert energy in the steam to electricity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a power generation system which converts chemical energy to a small electric energy, to heat energy, to pressure energy, to mechanical energy, and finally to a large electric energy.

Current coal power plants burn coal to provide the necessary heat to create steam in a boiler. The steam is used to push turbines connected to generators that give people the electric power they use. A problem is that this process produces toxic gases and much of the heat produced is lost in the air. The other problem is that the fossil fuels will eventually run out. Other systems try to produce electricity directly from hydrogen conversion. The other systems aren't viable means of producing electricity.

As can be seen, there is a need for solutions to these and other problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a power generation system comprises: a first energy conversion device configured to convert a first renewable energy resource into electricity; an electrolysis device configured to use electricity from the first energy conversion device to electrolyze water into hydrogen and oxygen; a hydrogen gas storage tank configured to store hydrogen from the electrolysis device; a fuel cell configured to convert chemical energy in the hydrogen from the hydrogen gas storage tank into electricity; a boiler configured to use electricity from the fuel cell to boil water into steam; and a steam powered turbine generator configured to convert energy in the steam to electricity.

In one aspect, the boiler comprises a boiler heating element. In one aspect, the boiler heating element comprises an induction element. In one aspect, the system further comprises a second energy conversion device configured to convert a second renewable energy resource into electricity. In one aspect, the first energy conversion device is configured to convert solar energy into electricity. In one aspect, the first energy conversion device is configured to convert wind energy into electricity.

In one aspect, a method of generating electricity comprises: providing a power generation system comprising: a first energy conversion device configured to convert a first renewable energy resource into electricity; an electrolysis device configured to use electricity from the first energy conversion device to electrolyze water into hydrogen and oxygen; a hydrogen gas storage tank configured to store hydrogen from the electrolysis device; a fuel cell configured to convert chemical energy in the hydrogen from the hydrogen gas storage tank into electricity; a boiler configured to use electricity from the fuel cell to boil water into steam; and a steam powered turbine generator configured to convert energy in the steam to electricity; providing the first renewable energy resource to the first energy conversion device; and consuming electricity from the steam powered turbine generator.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.

Referring now to the figures, the following reference numbers may refer to elements of the invention:

10: is the solar power source.

12: is the wind power source.

14: is the electrolysis device.

16: are the hydrogen gas storage tanks.

18: is the fuel cell.

20: is the boiler.

22: is the boiler heating element.

24: is the steam powered turbine generator.

A power system according to one embodiment of the present invention uses both wind turbine and solar cell electric power to produce hydrogen from water through a process called electrolysis. The hydrogen is fed into a fuel cell generator which will provide power for an induction or other heating system that will generate heat for a boiler\turbine electric generator.

A power system according to one embodiment of the present invention will use fuel cell generators connected to induction heating coils (similarly to the ones used in electric ovens or stoves) to induce heat directly into the boiler to boil the water for steam.

One solution according to one embodiment of the present invention was to develop an electric power system that uses a non-toxic fuel that is plentiful and reusable, with another parameter that is act as a replacement for fossil fuel combustion. A power system according to one embodiment of the present invention is different from current solutions in that it can be adapted to any steam turbine power plant.

A power system according to one embodiment of the present invention will use fuel cell generators or fuel cells 18 connected to boiler heating element 22, which may be induction heating coils (similarly to the ones used in electric ovens or stoves), to induce heat directly into the metallic structure of a boiler to boil the water for steam. This is a much more efficient means of heat transfer and the amount of heat is controlled by the frequency of the electromagnet wave. The steam generated in the boiler 20 will go to turbine generators 24 for the power going out of the plant.

Some of the steam could be sent to a separate generator that will be used to provide power for the second stage of the process, an electrolysis tank.

The electrolysis tank may make the necessary hydrogen to go back into the fuel cell generators. Additional power to the electrolysis tank can be supplemented with or can come entirely from the use of power from solar cells and/or wind turbine generators. Also, the water that is created from the fuel cell generators can be drained back into the electrolysis tank to be recycled. The system could continue to work so long as the fuel cell generators have enough hydrogen fuel. This can be ensured by pumping or compressing the hydrogen (and/or oxygen) into holding tanks that will act as buffers or regulators for the fuel cells. The only emissions let off by this process would be heat and steam from the boiler.

There are at least two possible alternate configurations. The first alternative to the system above is to simply burn the hydrogen instead of feeding it through the fuel cells. Since hydrogen is combustible it makes a clean alternative to burning coal or natural gas. The major advantage to this is that it would be a cheap and easy alternative. However, a disadvantage to this is the efficiency loss. Much like burning coal there will be a lot of energy lost due to ambient heat. Furthermore, there is no possibility of recycling the hydrogen or water recovery. A second alternative would be to replace the induction coils with heating elements inserted directly into the boiler.

A power system according to one embodiment of the present invention can also produce AC electricity, hydrogen gas, and purified water.

A power system according to one embodiment of the present invention is described as follows. Referring now to FIG. 1, a solar power source 10 (such as a photovoltaic cell or any known device for converting light/solar energy to electrical energy) and a wind power source 12 (such as a windmill or any known device for converting wind energy to electrical energy) are shown as examples for the first stage of the system which is to utilize some form of renewable green energy to produce hydrogen gas to power the second stage, although the present invention is not limited to these “green” sources of energy (which may include any other known device for converting renewable energy sources to electricity). One of the major setbacks to wind and solar energy generation is that they are not reliable continuous forms of energy generation. The only way to solve this problem has been to find a way to store their energy. By using their energy to produce hydrogen via the electrolysis of water, that energy can be stored in the form of a gas which can be transferred via pipeline or truck.

Electrolysis device 14 includes any device known in the art that can be used to convert electrical energy to the chemical energy stored in gaseous hydrogen. As water fills the device/apparatus, a DC electric charge may be applied to the electrodes on either side. Electrons pass from the negative side to the positive side. As they pass through the water they cause the hydrogen atoms to separate from the oxygen atoms. The hydrogen atoms collect on the negative side and the oxygen atoms collect on the positive side.

Hydrogen gas storage tanks 16 store the hydrogen gas after the electrolysis stage is complete. The gas may be compressed when it is stored to any preferred pressure, such as 10 atm, 100 atm, or more. The tanks 16 may comprise any gas tanks known in the art, which may include plumbing, valves, safety valves, and other features.

Fuel cell(s) 18 can be used to convert hydrogen chemical energy to electrical energy, as understood in the art. Hydrogen is fed to the anode (which is negatively charged) of the fuel cell 18 where the protons are allowed to pass though a membrane to the cathode. This leaves free electrons which are sent though conductors producing a DC current. The negatively charged electrons return to the cathode where they recombine with the positively charged hydrogen ions and oxygen to form water.

A water boiler 20 may include a boiler heating element 22, which converts electrical energy to heat energy. The heating element 22 may or may not use induction heating, which may be the most efficient option. Induction heating induces heat into the metal of the boiler through electro-magnetic resonance rather than direct heat transfer. Because the heat is produced inside the metal there is more heat transferred to the water in the boiler and very little heat lost in the air. This method also offers more temperature control because the temperature is determined by the frequency of the electro-magnetic signal.

Steam powered turbine generator 24 converts hot, high-pressure steam from the boiler 20 to electricity, as understood in the art. It may be representative of a steam-turbine alternating current power generator sub-system found in most electric power plants. Therefore, sub-systems (such as solar power source 10, wind power source 12, electrolysis device 14, hydrogen gas storage tanks 16, and/or fuel cell 18) can be add to boiler and/or steam powered turbine generator systems where they are already in place at a coal burning, nuclear, or natural gas burning power station.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A power generation system comprising: a first energy conversion device configured to convert a first renewable energy resource into electricity; an electrolysis device configured to use electricity from the first energy conversion device to electrolyze water into hydrogen and oxygen; a hydrogen gas storage tank configured to store hydrogen from the electrolysis device; a fuel cell configured to convert chemical energy in the hydrogen from the hydrogen gas storage tank into electricity; a boiler configured to use electricity from the fuel cell to boil water into steam; and a steam powered turbine generator configured to convert energy in the steam to electricity.
 2. The power generation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the boiler comprises a boiler heating element.
 3. The power generation system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the boiler heating element comprises an induction element.
 4. The power generation system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second energy conversion device configured to convert a second renewable energy resource into electricity.
 5. The power generation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first energy conversion device is configured to convert solar energy into electricity.
 6. The power generation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first energy conversion device is configured to convert wind energy into electricity.
 7. A method of generating electricity, comprising: providing a power generation system comprising: a first energy conversion device configured to convert a first renewable energy resource into electricity; an electrolysis device configured to use electricity from the first energy conversion device to electrolyze water into hydrogen and oxygen; a hydrogen gas storage tank configured to store hydrogen from the electrolysis device; a fuel cell configured to convert chemical energy in the hydrogen from the hydrogen gas storage tank into electricity; a boiler configured to use electricity from the fuel cell to boil water into steam; and a steam powered turbine generator configured to convert energy in the steam to electricity; providing the first renewable energy resource to the first energy conversion device; and consuming electricity from the steam powered turbine generator. 